Transfer-hook



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. P. W. GATES.

, TRANSFER HOOK. No. 532,321. 'PatentedJan. 8, 1895.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'.

1 W; GATES. TRANSFER HOOK- No. 532,321. Patented Jan. 8, 1895;

UNITED STATES Y PATENT OFFICE.

PHILETUS W. GATES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRANSFER-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,321, dated January8, 1895.

' Application filed May 10, 1894- Serial No. 510309- (No mod L) To allwhom it nay concern.-

Be it known that I, PHILETUS W. GATES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illi nois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvemen'tsin Transfer-Hooks; and I dohereby declare the'following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in a transfer hook adapted for usein connection with cranes, derricks and the like arranged relatively tooneanother, and right and left of the transfer hook in different partsof a machine shop or other place; and it consists in so constructingsuch a transfer hook that the'load to be transferred can be hung uponits lower portion, and the .respective crane hooks can enter an idleengagement device of the transfer hook either on the right or left sideof the upper portion of said transfer hook, Without being interferedwith by the crane hook which is in action or by'the lower part of thetransfer hook and when such engagement of either of the crane hooks withan engagement device is fully effected the upper portion of the transferhook will have automatically adjusted itself so as to have the suspendedload or weight come on the sustaining points of the transfer hook whichare in the same vertical line and, while this is so the idle transferhook engagement device will be moved laterally or to one side of saidline and thus placed in condition for receiving a crane hook which at acertain stage comes into play for receiving the load being transferred;and this operation takes place whether a right hand or a left handengagement book be brought into action for taking the transferred load;and during the transfer from one craneho'ok to another any interferenceof the load-carrying crane hook is avoided-that is, a crane lifting hookwhich may be in use at a given time does not interfere with a' cranehook which is to take hold of the transfer hook on which the load issuspended.

The invention also consists in the combination of the peculiar transferhook with right and left cranes adapted for working with the engagementdevices of the upper viwhich the upper portion of the transfer hookadjusts itself so as to throw anidle engaging device in position forreceiving. the heck of the crane which is to receive the load beingtransferred, such latter crane hook and ad juncts also being shown insaidview. Fig.

2. is a side elevation of the improved transfer hook'and other parts asshown in Fig. l but the idle crane hookand an engagement device of thetransfer'hook are shown in engaging relation withone another, and readyto transfer the load from the first mentioned crane hook. Fig. 3. showsthe parts as. they appear after the transfer has been fully effec'ted.Fig. 4. represents a top. plan view of the 'two cranes in their relativepositions. Fig. 5. is a vertical transverse section of the improvedtransfer hook. Fig.6. is a broken transverse section showing ashouldered bolt, instead of a bolt with a sleeve on it. Fig. 7. is aside' elevation, illustrating my invention of a transfer hook with itsengaging portion constructed of a single plate, and with oblongengagement passages through said plate for the crane hooks respectivelyto enter during the transferring operation. Fig. 8. is a front edge Viewof the construction shown in Fig. 7, and Fig. 9. is a modification ofthe plate shown in Figs. 7 and 8. I

The transfer hook consists of a hooking portion B and an upperengagement portion A pivotally connected by a pivot bolt 6 which serveswith a nut on its end as a clamping means. The preferable manner ofconstructing the engagement portion is, to employ two triangular shapedflat plates, as a, a, rounded at their corners, and so spaced thatsufficient room is allowed between them for the entrance of crane hooks,said plates being sepa. rated and held apart by means of shoulderedscrew bolts, on the ends of which nuts are applied, said bolts and nutsalso serving for clamping the plates together. Before inserting thepivot bolt b the flattened, enlarged upper end of the perforated hookingportion B is inserted between cornered portions of the two plates a,a.;and when the perforation in the portion B coincides with both holes inthe plates, the pivot bolt b is passed through these holes as well asthrough the perforation of the hook portion B, and the whole clampedtogether by turning up the nut on the end of the bolt. The screw bolts1), b which are applied near the other two corners of the plates a, aform right and left engagement portions for right and left crane hooksC, D. In constructing these engagement devices, the shoulders forkeeping the plates apart may be formed either by means of sleeves, asI), applied on the bolts so as to lie between the plates, the boltsbeing passed through holes in the plates and through the sleeves, andthe whole clamped together by turning up the nuts on one of the ends ofthe respective bolts; or the shoulders may be formed directly on thebolts 1) b the two constructions just described, being as illustrated inFigs. 5 and 6.

The transfer hook might be made of a single plate, as a said platehaving crane hook engagement passages 19 11 through it; or headed cranehook-engagement studs as b answering the purpose of the bolts 12, 13 mayproject from the face of the plate at the proper corners. When a singleplate is employed the upper end a of the hooking portion 13 isbifurcated so as to allow a corner of the plate to be inserted betweenthe jaws thus formed and the bolt 12 is passed through the plate and thejaws of the end a so as to connect the hooking portion 13 to theengagement portion, and allow a pivotal movement of the same for a likepurpose, same as when the portion A is made of two plates, as a, a, inthe manner shown in the other views of the drawings.

It will be observed that the transfer hook is so formed and constructedof two pivotally connected parts; and with its two crane hook engagementdevices or bolts b, 11 and pivot bolt b so located, relatively, thatsaid bolt b and one or the other of the crane hook engagement devices,1), b will always lie in a vertical line with each other when the loadis suspended on the hooking portionB; and,

at the same time, the idle crane hook engage ment device will be thrownto one side of the vertical line, and thereby brought in position forbeing conveniently engaged by another crane hook at the proper time fortransferring the load; and this engagement will not be interfered withby the crane hook then bearing the load, nor by the load; and at thesame time the lift of the load will be directly in line with the yokecarrying the hoisting pul ley, which latter result is important anddesirable. The same operation takes place whether a right hand or a lefthand crane hook is bearing the load. The article or load to be carried,is suspended by chains or otherwise from the hooking portion B. Each ofthe cranes O and D is provided with a lifting hook O and D respectively,and each of said hooks has a connection by means of a swivelf with thelower portion of the yoke j,

which yoke is suspended by having its ends, respectively, journaled onthe ends f of the axle of the pulley wheel H. The pulley wheel H issupported by rope h passed around it, and is suspended from the top ofthe crane. The cranes are provided with the usual windlasses and pulleysfor operating the lifting ropes.

In Fig. 1. the load is shown suspended from the chains, and in Fig. 2.it is shown in the act of being transferred from the right to the leftcrane hook. V

In Fig. 2. the crane hook C has been placed under the idle crane hookengagement device or bolt 5 and thus, when the suspending rope of thehook is sufficiently drawn upon, the weight will be transferred from thehook D to the hook O; and the right hand crane hook now being releasedfrom the bolt b byhand or otherwise, the load will be transferred to 1and carried by the left hand crane as illustrated in Fig. 3. of thedrawings.

When the transfer is about to be made, if the hooks C and D are not inthe proper position for engaging the transfer hook, they arerespectively turned on their swivel connections until they are caused toassume the position shown in the drawings Figs. 1 and 2.

By my invention the transferring of very heavy loads from one crane toanother, can be very readily and easily accomplished, and without anyinterference of one crane hook with another during-the transferringoperation; also without any danger of loss from the falling of the loadin the act of transfer.

Preference is given to the triangular shape of the transfer hook, withtriangularly arranged bolts, as this form offers the least obstructionto the engagement of the crane books with the engagement devices of thetransfer hook when the weight is suspended upon the transfer hook, but,of course, the shape may be varied somewhat without departing from myinvention.

The transfer hook shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is useful for lightloads,but for heavy'loads the construction in the other views of thedrawings, is the best on account of its strength.

What I claim as my invention is-= 1. A transfer hook comprising twomembers or portions ;to wit: a lower hooking portion B for connectingwith the load to be transferred, and an upper crane hooking portion Ahaving rightand left crane hook engagement devices, one of which alwaysstands lateral to a vertical line passing through the one in use whenthe load is suspended on the transfer hook, substantially as described.

2. A transfer hook, comprising two members or portions ;-to wit: a lowerhooking portion B for connecting with the load to be transferred, anupper crane hook engagement portion A having right and left crane hookention A of triangular form and having right gaging devices, and apivotal connection beand left crane hook engaging devices, and betweenthe portions A and B of the transfer ing pivotally connected to thehooking porhook; the'construction being such, that the tion B,substantially as described. 25 5 portion Atilts either to the rightorleft, and 5. The combination with right and left throws an idle cranehook engaging device to crane hooks, of a transfer hook formed of poroneside of a vertical line passing through the tions A and B pivotedtogether, the portion A pivot bolt and the engagement device which beingprovided with crane hook engaging demay be in use when the load issuspended vices, an idle one of which always lies lateral 3o 10 upon thehooking portion B, substantially as to avertical line passing throughthe pivotal described. connection when the weight is suspended on 3. Atransfer hook, comprising portions A the transfer hook; and thesaidpngagement i and B pivoted and clamped together by bolts devices ofthe portion A, and thepivot of the and nuts; the upper portion beingformed of hook portion B, being arranged triangularly 35 15 two platesa, a, and held apart by shoulders on the portion A, substantially asdescribed. of the engagement devices, and the perforated In testimonywhereof I hereunto affix my end of the hooking portion B, substantiallysignature in presence of two witnesses.

as described. PHILETUS W. GATES.

4. A transfer hook, comprising two mein- Vitnesses: 2o hers or portions;-to wit: a lower hooking por- W. MAOD. COOL, l tion B,and an uppercrane hook engaging por- VERNE A. LEWIS.

